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Letters, vol. I,

A volume made up of correspondence, poetry, printed items, etc. The letters, about one hundred and six in number, 1786-1806, are addressed (except where otherwise stated) to William Owen [-Pughe], and the correspondents, in alphabetical order, are the following: p. 505, Mary Belk, French Gate, Doncaster, 1805 (1, to Mrs. Owen) (mention of visions of Mrs. Southcott, etc.); p. 443, Edward Charles ['Siamas Wynedd'], London, n.d. (1) (he wishes to subscribe to the dictionary, a series of twelve 'englynion' ('Molawd y llyfr')); p. 471, Wm. Cunnington, Heytesbury, 1806 ( 1) (an account of Marden or Merden between Devizes and Everly [sic]); p. 278, J[ohn] Daniel, [Carmarthen, 1793] (1) (a note re copies ordered of the dictionary); pp. 239, 241, 245, Edwd. Davies, Sodbury, 1792 (2, and 'Scheme of an Essay on the History of the Bards') (sending a paraphrase of Taliesin's elegy on the death of Owain son of Urien prince of Reged); p. 470, Hugh Davies, Beaumares, 1806 (1) (mention of the abridgement of the addressee's great work, he has nearly completed the trifle containing the account of the British names of plants, a gout prescription); pp. 219, 273, 291, 501, Walter Davies, 'Gwallter Mechain', All Souls Col[lege], Oxford, and Myfod,1793-1805 and undated (4, one to Owen Jones) (the addressee's dictionary, the Cylchgrawn, re the return of Owen Jones's books, the writer's work in connection with the S.P.C.K. Welsh Bible, he is setting off for South Wales owing to Iolo [Morganwg]'s strange conduct); p. 163, G[eorge] Ellis, London, [1803] (1) (mention of Walter Scott, the Mabinogion, Leyden's opinion); p. 155, W[illiam] Gunn, Irstead, Norwich, 1803 (1) (the illness of his eldest daughter, requesting further assistance in identifying the British cities of Nennius, the 'Vindication of the Celts' by the addressee's friend); pp. 483, 488, 491, Richd. Hoare, [1805] (2, and a list of persons and places mentioned in the Hirlas poem) (various queries re Giraldus); pp. 281, 379, John Jones, curate of Llangadfan, Llangadfan, 1790 and [1793] (2) (the specimen of the addressee's dictionary, a request concerning a near relation (a girl) who is anxious to come to London); pp. 255, 263, 288 ('englynion'), 381, 439, Thomas Jones, Colommendy, Corwen, Llanrhaiadr in Mochant [sic], and Excise Office, Bristol, 1789-1795 (4, two to Edward Jones ['Bardd y Brenin']) (sending 'penillion' (enclosure wanting), the Bala Eisteddfod (1789), the St. Asaph Eisteddfod (1790), the addressee's proposed dictionary, chance and not choice has brought him to Bristol for two years, mention of John Evans, the Penmorfa Eisteddfod (1795), a young Quaker in Bristol (unnamed), the writer's health); pp. 267, 282, 289, 301, 303, 311, 339, 343, 367, 371, 373, 377, (?)387, 415, Will[iam] Jones, 'Cadfan' or 'Gwilym Cadfan', Llangadfan, 1789-1794 (13 and an address) (words for the dictionary, emigration, autobiographical details, an address 'To all indigenous Cam- brobritons', mention of Ezeckiel Hughes, etc.); p. 345, John Lloyd [Holywell postmark, 1790] (1) (hints concerning the specimen of the addressee's dictionary, subscribers' names); pp. 495, 497, Tho[mas] Lloyd, North Walsham, 1805 (2) (requesting translations of passages (specified) in the 'Wisdom of the Cymri [sic]', Iolo Morgannwg [sic] and the History of the Bards, the Welsh Archaiology); p. 385, Thomas Owans, New Inn, Llanrwst, 1791 (1, to Owen Jones) (a letter to the Gwyneddigion in London mentioning the Llanrwst Eisteddfod and hoping they will be no less assiduous in caring for the work of the old poets, reference to the manuscripts of Dafydd Sion, 'Dewi Fardd', at Trefriw, and to a manuscript of Welsh poetry belonging to Thomas Holland of Manchester, son of John Holland of Te[i]rdan in the parish of Llan-Elian yn rhos, co. Denbigh, his own circumstances); p. 159, Jane Owen, Nassau, New Providence, 1801 (1) ( her plight following the death of John Owen, with a cutting headed 'The Bahama Gazette', 16 Oct. 1801); pp. 285, 295, Richard Powel, 'Y Bardd Glas o'r Gader', Yspytty Ifan, 1793-1794 (2, one to [Thomas Jones, Llanrhaiadr y Mochnant]) (he has not yet received the medal, items of poetry addressed to Thomas Jones, William Owen [-Pughe], and [David Thomas] 'D. Ddu o Eryri '); pp. 277, 307, Morg[a]n J[ohn] Rhees, Carmarthen and Philadelphia, 1793 and 1796 (2 and a printed prospectus of the Cambrian Company); (continued)

pp. 349, 353, 403, 461, W[illiam] Richards, Lynn, 1790-1803 (4) (the addressee's proposed dictionary, the Welsh Indians, how he relinquished his design of compiling a small Welsh dictionary for the use of Gwŷr Dyfed chiefly, mention of three bungling Welsh dictionaries now set on foot); p. 271, Evan Richardson [i.e. Evan Pritchard], 'Ieuan ab Risiart alias Ieuan Llyn', Bryncroes, [17]93 (1) (wishing to know the price of the addressee's dictionary, whether to come to London); pp. 465, 467, 479, Griffith Roberts Senior, Surgeon &c., Dolgelley, 1804 (3) (intelligence that his son Jhon [sic] Roberts is dead, the writer's MSS); pp. 447, 449, D[avid] Samwell, 'D. Feddyg Du', [1797] (2) (the printed proclamation [of the (1798) Caerwys Eisteddfod]); pp. 249, 275, 313, 318, 319, 321, 325, 329, 333, 335, 357, 389, 393, 397, 419, 423, 427, 431, 435, 455, 457, David ( Dafydd) Thomas, 'Dafydd Ddu Eryri', writing from Waunfawr, Llanddeiniolen, Bettws Garmon, Caernarfon, Llanystumdwy, Plas Gwyn, Llanfair Bettws Geraint, and Amlwch, 1786-1798 (21) (literary matters, etc., including the intention of the writer and others to form a society called 'Eryron' (Snowdonians), Barddoniaeth Dafydd ab Guilym, draft proposals for printing 'A Guide to the British Language' by H. & D. Thomas, a draft title-page, etc., for 'Awdlau ar destynau Cymdeithas y Gwyneddigion i'r Eisteddfodau B. A. 1789, 1790, 1791 . . . gan Dafydd Ddu o'r Eryri', and items of poetry); p. 509, G[eorge] Thomson, Edinburgh, 1805 (1) (to Thomas Johnes, see NLW MS 13223C, p. 257) (a request for original Welsh airs, to be harmonized by Haydn); p. 399, John Walters, Cowbridge, 1790 (1) (re the specimen of the addressee's dictionary); and pp. 11, 25, 29, 33, 37, 41, 49, 53, 55, 59, 63, 67, 71, 75, 79, 83, 87, 91, 95, 99, 103, 107, 111, 115, 119, 123, 127, 131, 135, 139, 143, 147, 151, Edward Williams, 'Iolo Morganwg', writing mainly from Flimston but also from London, Llanrwst, Hafod Uchtryd, Cowbridge, and Gileston, 1788-1806 (33) (literary and personal matters). Some items of poetry are to be found in the letters (see under the names Edward Charles, Edward Davies, William Jones, Richard Powel, and David Thomas). At the beginning of the volume, pp. 3-10, 15-24, are a number of 'cywyddau' attributed to Dafydd ap Gwilym, with notes. These are in the autograph of Edward Williams, 'Iolo Morganwg', and they include the poems now known as 'Cywyddau'r Ychwanegiad'. Also in the volume are poetical compositions, some holograph, by Goronwy Owen (pp. 199-218, 451-3), and Lewis Morris, 'Llewelyn Ddu' (pp. 221-33), and instances of the work of the following poets: Edward Williams, 'Iolo Morganwg' (pp. 43-5, ?523-4, holograph), William Philyp [sic] (pp. 170-1), William Wynn, Person Llan- Gynhafal (pp. 189-96), Edm[un]d Price, Archiagon Meirionydd (pp. 197-8), Ieuan ap Hywel Swrdwal or Ieuan ap Rhydderch ap Ieuan Llwyd (pp. 235-7), [David Thomas], 'D[afydd] Dd[u] Er[yri]' (pp. 253-4, holograph), D. Pugh (pp. 529- 30), Robert Davies, Nantglyn (pp. 535-8), Jo. Davies ['Siôn Dafydd Las'] (p. 548), and 'Owen ap loan', Caer-gybi (pp. 553-6) with anonymous pieces on pp. 517-8 and 561-8. Miscellaneous items include the following: pp. 173-84, a transcript in the autograph of Evan Evans, 'Ieuan Fardd' or 'Ieuan Brydydd Hir', of the 'Mirabilia' associated with the 'Historia Brittonum' and of c. 57-66 of the Historia (cf. NLW MS 7011D, pp. 202-12, and NLW MS 1982 (Panton 13), ff. 42 verso-58 recto); pp. 259-62, extracts from certain Wynn of Gwydir papers headed 'Instances of the custom of making presents to the Judges' (? in the autograph of Paul Panton, senior); pp. 407-14, a list, under headings, of Welsh physical and geographical features (? in the autograph of David Thomas, 'Dafydd Ddu Eryri'); pp. 475-6, a list of diocesan registrars, etc.; p. 520, a note concerning the medals to be awarded at the Gwyneddigion eisteddfod of 1790 with mention of those for 1791; pp. 545-6, notes concerning Dr. John Davies of Mallwyd; and pp. 549-50, a list of 'British names of Shells & Crustaceous fish' and 'Prif gaerae ynys Brydain gynt'. The printed items comprise: p. 1, 'Trial by Jury' . . . A Song, sung . . . Feb. 4, 1795 in celebration of the . . . trials . . . and . . . acquittals of Thomas Hardy, John Horne Tooke, and John Thelwall . . .' by Edward Williams ['Iolo Morganwg']; pp. 166-7, 514-5, 540-1, a broadsheet containing 'Dull ac amcanion Cymdeithas y Cymreigyddion' by E[dward] Charles, 1796, and 'Cerdd y Cymreigyddion' by J[ohn] Jones, Glan y Gors (three copies, the first endorsed 'Mr. Owen from T. Roberts'); pp. 361- 3, 'Ode for the New Year', 1790, attributed elsewhere to David Samwell; pp. 365, 519, an announcement concerning the Gwyneddigion eisteddfod to be held at Bala the following Michaelmas [1789] and the subjects for the ensuing year (two copies); p. 521, 'Plan of the Triangles made use of for obtaining the Geometrical Distance and Altitude of Snowdon and Moel Eilio with respect to the Sea at Carnarvon. Augt. 1775' extracted from Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Vol. LXVII, Tab. XVIII, p. 788; pp. 525-8, 'The Arabic Alphabet' with notes (two copies); and p. 533, an announcement of the forthcoming publication of Heroic Odes and Elegies of Llywarch Hen, with translation by William Owen. There are also a few loose papers.

'Amrywiaethau',

A volume entitled 'Amrywiaethau' on the spine, and 'Amrywion sev o gynnulliad Idrison' [i.e. William Owen-Pughe] on the fly-leaf. The contents, a miscellaneous collection of prose and poetry, include: pp. 1-8, four 'cywyddau' attributed to Dafydd ap Gwilym and others; pp. 9-10, 'Can y Mai, ar fesur Awdlgywydd o waith Gwilym Tew, medd Llyfr Lewys Hopkyn'; pp. 11-14, a transcript of 'Annerch-lythr Gronwy Owain Len at William Elias o Blâs y Glyn, Llanfwrog ym Môn', dated at Donnington, 30 Nov. 1751; pp. 15-17, English translation by W[illiam] O[wen-Pughe] of a poem by Taliesin entitled 'Gwaith Gwenystrad', and of another (pp. 18-21) beginning: 'Teithi edmygant yn Nyffryn Garant . . .'; pp. 22-25, an incomplete transcript of 'Gorhoffet Gwalchmei'; pp. 32-34, 'Emyn Ambros ac Awstin, yr hwn a elwir y Te Deum o gyfieithiad Dafydd ddu o Hiraddug'; p. 35, 'Darneb yn iaith Phoenicia yn Llythyrenau Seisnig'; p. 36, part of the tale of Manawydan fab Llyr (cf. Ifor Williams, Pedeir Keinc y Mabinogi (Caerdydd, 1951), t. 52); pp. 37-40, 'Memorandums from Whartons History of English Poetry'; p. 41, 'Enwau Duw', Hebrew terms for God with Welsh equivalents; p. 42, a further Hebrew-Welsh vocabulary; p. 43, a note concerning Edward Williams ['Iolo Morganwg'], Edward Evan of Aberdare (ob. 1798) and their knowledge of 'Cyfrinach y Beirdd'; p. 44, 'tribannau' attributed to Sion Rhys o Ystrad Dyvodwg and Ed. William o Lantrisaint (cf. Tegwyn Jones, Tribannau Morgannwg (Llandysul, 1976), no. 334); pp. 45-50, 'Awdyl Cyflafan y Beirdd, Testyn Dinbych - 1792', beginning 'Deffro duedd dew ffrwd awen - o'th fedd . . .' by ?B.C.; pp. 53-55, a copy of a letter dated at London, 1 Oct. 1788, from William Owen to Mr. George Riveley, Portsmouth in Virginia; pp. 59-63, 'Hymn to Narayena' by Sir William Jones, beginning 'Spirit of spirits, who, thro' every part . . .'; pp. 64-66, copy of a letter written by [William Owen-Pughe] from London, 22 April 1789, recipient uncited; pp. 67-71, copy of a letter from William Owen [- Pughe] to Thomas Pennant, esq., dated 22 April 1789; p. 73, a remedy for a cold; p. 75, extract from a poem, 'the Pleasures of Memory', beginning 'The father strew'd his white hairs in the wind . . .'; pp. 77-79, a prose translation of 'Ymbil ar Ddwynwen . . .' (see Barddoniaeth Dafydd ab Gwilym (Llundain, 1789), t. 154) entitled 'The Invocation of Saint Dwynwen '; pp. 83-85, transcript of a letter from J. G. Boccius, dated at Leipzig, 19 Oct. 1793, to [William Owen-Pughe], followed by a list of Wendish words with Latin equivalents; pp. 85-88, transcript of a letter from Dr. [Carl Gottlieb] Anton, dated at Gorliz in Ober Lausiz, 2 Aug. [17]94, written in French (for the original see NLW MS 13223C, p. 145); pp. 88-95, copy of a letter written by W[illiam] O[wen-Pughe] from London, 20 Jan. 1796, in reply to Dr. Anton's letter; pp. 96-98, 'Song to May', a translation of pp. 9-10 above; pp. 101-06, transcript of a letter dated 15 April 1800 from E[dward] Williams, 'Iolo Morganwg', to [Owen Jones], 'Owain Myvyr'; pp. 107- 116 & 119-120, transcript of another letter from the same to the same, dated at Flimston, 17 June 1800; (continued)

p. 117, memoranda, 1800, recording the death and burial of various members of the Owen family; pp. 121-36, transcript of a letter from 'Iolo Morganwg' to 'Owain Myvyr', dated at Cardiff, 6 Oct. 1800; p. 139, the dates of death of four relatives and acquaintances of William Owen [-Pughe]; p. 141, lines dated 29 Dec. 1830 by Ro[bert] Davies, 'Bardd Nantglyn', beginning 'Y llwdn hwq, and nid o ddig . . .'; pp. 143-5, 'Cywydd i Vordeyrn sant yn Nantglyn' beginning 'Y sant nevol addolwn . . .', attributed to Davydd ab Llywelyn ab Madog, transcribed by 'Idrison' at Egryn, 18 March 1833; p. 147, a list of 'Correspondent words'; pp. 149-150, notes by 'Idrison' on the cure of 'Davaden Wyllt (Cancer)' dated 14 Feb. 1834; p. 339, note of financial loans and gifts made to [William Owen-Pughe], 1796-98; pp. 411-40, a narrative beginning 'Ac Elphin á gymmeres y Gôd, ac ai bwris hi ar gevn un o'i veirç mewn cawell . . .', said to be 'O Lyvyr Iolo Morganwg . . . Gwaith Hopcin Tho. Phylip o Varganwg [sic] o gylç 1370'; pp. 444-46, 'Profwydoliaeth Llywelyn Vawr (o'r Brithdir meddir)', beginning 'Mae hen goelion yn ein gwlid . . .'; pp. 447-85, a series of 'Coronog Faban' poems and prophecies, variously attributed to Aneurin Gwawdrydd, Jonas Athraw Mynyw, Rhys Gog o Eryri, and Gildas Brofwyd (pp. 459-63 contain a copy of observations by 'Iolo Morganwg' on the preceding 'Coronog Faban' poems); pp. 486-88, 'Llyma englynion Marçwiail, o lyvyr Havod Uçtryd : ei enw Hen ddihenydd', beginning 'Marçwiail bedw briglas . . .', attributed to Mabclav ab Llywarrq; PP- 489-9o, 'Gweddi Taliesin', beginning 'Gweddiav Dduw Dâd . . .'; pp. 491-93, 'Llyma Gerdd y Bardd Glas o'r Gadair "o Lyvyr Joseph Jones o Gaer Dyv, à ysgrivenwyd cylç 1590." Iolo Morganwg', beginning 'Deg gormes caredvorion . . .'; pp. 494-97, 'Llyma Englynion a vuant rwng Caradawg Llan Carvan a Gwgan Varvawg o Lan Dathan, o'r un Llyvyr', beginning 'Gwgan Varvawg, hanpyç gwell! . . .'; pp. 497-502, 'englynion' attributed to Gwgan Varvawg o Landathan alias Gwgan Vardd alias Gwgan Vardd Iestyn; p. 503, 'Hen vesurau, sev Englynion gan Gwydion ab Don: o Lyvyr y Mabinogi yn Llyvyrgell Mostyn', beginning 'Dâr á dyv yn arddväes . . . '; pp. 504-06, 'Llyma Awdyl à gânt Teilaw sant', beginning 'Govynawd ysgen . . .', attributed thus: 'Teilaw Sant ai cant pan ydoedd yn myned i Ynys Enlli: O Lyvyr Harri Sion o Bont y Pwl'; p. 506, two verses entitled 'Llythyr Merq at ei Çariad' and 'Atteb y Mab'; pp. 507-10, 'Llyma' r Bader yn Gymbraec: o Lyvyr Havod Uçtryd', beginning 'Yn Tat ni yr hwn wyt yn y Nef . . .'; pp. 511-12, 'Englynion ar enwau Duw: gwaith Sion y Cent: o Lyvyr Wm. Rhosser', beginning 'Duw Tri, Duw Celi coelion, Dav, Eli , . . .'; and pp. 592-3, 595, & 597, notes, 1800-03, & 1808 by [William Owen-Pughe]. Certain of the above items appear to have been published in The Myvyrian Archaiology and the volume Iolo MSS. Pasted in at the end of the volume are a few loose items including notes on ancient alphabets, etc., dated 1821; a tune with words in ?Hebrew and Welsh based on Ps. 115, 1; a receipt dated 20 June 1793 for 5 guineas, being the admission fee to the Society of Antiquaries of London of William Owen [-Pughe]; and a copy of printed proposals to publish Pethagoras; or, The Hindoo's Researches.

William Owen-Pughe.

'Peredur'

A manuscript volume with the title 'PEREDUR' in gold lettering on the spine. The manuscript, written in the year 1800 by William Owen [-Pughe], contains an English translation of the tale 'Peredur' which is sub-titled 'A Tale Of the Britons' with the Welsh text facing. The Welsh version is said on p. 234 to be transcribed from a manuscript in the hand of the poet Huw Llyn [i.e. B.M. Add. MS 14967, pp. 284-321], 'Adysgriviad o hen lyvyr wedi ei ysgrivenu gan Huw Llyn y Barz', but a note on page 60 suggests that the beginning of the tale was missing when the present manuscript was bound and that the transcriber added the missing part of the text on 21 Sept., 1827, 'Cyvysgrivwn odd y deçreu hyd yma, a oedd a'r goll pan rwymid y llyvr. D. Gwener, Medi 21. 1827. W. O. P. Segrwyd'. The following note appears on p. 235: 'Finished Dec. 31 1800, 9 o'clock at night - 3 hours before end of the 18th. century - Wm. Owen'. Written on the front fly-leaf is a medical recipe for 'Sore throat ulcerated' as well as the name 'W. Owen No. 40 Penton Street, Pentonville'. Pages 1-2 and 236-7 contain quotations from the works of medieval Welsh poets and the triads referring to Peredur with references to The Myvyrian Archaiology of Wales . . ., Vol. 1 (1801), and Barddoniaeth Dafydd ab Gwilym (1789).

William Owen-Pughe.